Work continues on YMCA razing, adjacent tower

Work on the YMCA demolition continues in downtown Canton, with plans to finish before March.

The Suburbanite

Writer

Posted Oct. 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 13, 2012 at 1:12 PM

Posted Oct. 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 13, 2012 at 1:12 PM

CANTON

Work on the YMCA demolition continues downtown, with plans to finish before March.

Eslich Wrecking Co. crews have been busy at the site. Cranes and other equipment are piling up bricks, pipes, steel rods, poles, mattresses and other debris.

As of Friday afternoon, the nine-story brick tower, adjacent to the main YMCA structure that once had housed a swimming pool and other amenities, was still standing.

Work is also continuing on the primary building.

Following the demolition work, the resulting hole will be filled with dirt. The site in the McKinley Avenue NW area also will have to be compacted and tested for stability so the new YMCA can be constructed.

Richard Eslich Jr. said Friday that the tower on Second Street NW will be demolished after the main structure is down so equipment can get closer to the brick tower. The approach is done with safety in mind, he said.

He believes the entire demolition job could be finished before March.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Eslich said. “You have to be patient ... with a building like that, (and) having multiple buildings you have to be very careful not to get ahead of yourself.”

Precautions are also taken due to vehicular traffic in the area, Eslich said.

Eslich said he expects more than 70 percent of the YMCA wreckage to be recycled.

Tim Shetzer, chief executive officer of the YMCA of Central Stark County, said the demolition contract calls for the site to be cleared and ready for construction by March 15.

The downtown YMCA closed in 2008.

Fundraising efforts have not been completed for the new 26,000-square-foot YMCA, he said. So far, $4.6 million is pledged, he said.

Eric Snow, a Canton native and former McKinley High School star and longtime NBA player, is heavily involved in the fundraising campaign, Shetzer said.

“Eric’s hard at work helping us close that gap,” Shetzer said. “He’s been very active the last few months.”